The UK's new chief vet to visit China to support pork trade deals

CHINA - The UK’s new Chief Veterinary Officer will get first-hand insight into the Chinese import market when she joins the AHDB at the one of the country’s most important meat exhibitions.

Christine Middlemiss, who joined the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in December last year, will be attending the 16th annual China International Meat Industry Exhibition (CIMIE) this week, alongside the AHDB export team.

Targeted at the meat industry in China, CIMIE attracts a range of exhibitors from 40 countries as well as more than 300,000 visitors every year.

Through the CIMIE platform, meat professionals worldwide meet to discuss a range of issues including meat products, machinery and equipment, scientific and technological achievements and the latest meat processing technology.

AHDB will be at the three-day event in Beijing, hosting a number of approved pork exporters from the UK and facilitating meetings with key stakeholders in the supply chain.

AHDB Head of Asia Pacific Jonathan Eckley said: “CIMIE is an important show for our pork exporters as it provides the perfect platform to meet with key importers and significant stakeholders in the Chinese supply chain.

“The show also presented the ideal opportunity to introduce the UK’s new CVO to the Chinese import market. During her visit she will also be meeting with key government partners in this growing marketplace, which shipped £69 million worth of pork in 2017.”

Following CIMIE, Christine will join AHDB on a visit to Japan, where there has been ongoing work between Defra, the AHDB, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) and government organisations APHA, FSA, UKECP and DAERA, to gain approval of beef and sheep meat exports to the country.

She will then attend a two-day visit to Taiwan to meet with officials, following news last month that pork from the UK will be exported to the country for the first time in an export deal worth an estimated £50 million over the next five years.

Christine said: “These visits provide an excellent opportunity to see first-hand these valuable markets which are helping to grow our meat exports. A great deal of work has been done to gain access to China, Taiwan and Japan and I am very grateful to the AHDB for inviting me on this informative tour around Asia.”

Ryan worked in conservation from 2007-2017, during which time he operated a rainbow trout hatchery in Canada for the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. As editor of The Poultry Site, he now writes about challenges and opportunities in the global poultry industry and agri-food chain.